Wanita MCA slams 'absurd' drug test proposal for concertgoers

Summary

• Selangor MCA’s Tee Hooi Ling criticised the proposal for concertgoer drug tests as impractical, arguing it would slow entry and burden organisers.

• Alternatives proposed include enhanced security, better drug detection methods, and collaboration with law enforcement.

• The proposal follows four drug-related deaths at a New Year’s Eve concert, prompting Selangor exco Ng Suee Lim to suggest stricter measures, including urine tests.

Selangor MCA women’s wing chief Tee Hooi Ling has condemned the state government’s proposal to test concertgoers for drugs.

Describing the proposal as “absurd” and “impractical”, she noted that concerts are large-scale events attended by tens of thousands of people and conducting urine tests on everyone would place an undue burden on organisers and enforcement agencies.

“If every attendee is required to undergo a urine test, the entry process would become extremely slow and inefficient, potentially taking hours or even an entire day to complete.

“This would significantly diminish the audience’s experience and could even lead to chaos at the venue,” she said in a statement today.

Tee, who is also the national Wanita MCA deputy chief, said such checks would be rendered moot if attendees were to use drugs after they have already entered the venue.

She urged relevant authorities to reconsider the proposal and adopt measures that are more sensible, without treating all attendees as potential suspects.

Tee proposed measures such as enhancing security checks, increasing patrols at the venue, introducing better means for detecting drugs, and collaborating with law enforcement agencies to curb drug dealing through accurate intelligence.

‘Entirely impractical’

Similarly, Berita Harian quoted Karyawan president Freddie Fernandez describing the measure as unfeasible.

“Imagine a concert with 30,000 attendees, each having to queue for a urine test. It’s time-consuming, manpower-intensive, and entirely impractical,” he reportedly said.

He said the process could be made more efficient through advanced technology, but this is currently not available in Malaysia.

He also said the urine tests may not be sufficient to prevent drug use at concerts.

“Detecting drugs being smuggled in is not straightforward. Drug dealers or drug mules often act efficiently.

“I understand that there is a ‘stamp’ type of drug (similar to lysergic acid diethylamide) in the form of a very small paper, which only needs to come into contact with sweat to produce high levels of stimulation and euphoria,” he was quoted as saying.

Instead, he suggested alternative measures such as integrating anti-drug awareness campaigns into the events.

Yesterday, Bernama quoted State Local Government and Tourism Committee chairperson Ng Suee Lim saying the state government will recommend urine tests to prevent drug use at concerts held in the state.

The matter will be discussed at the state’s executive council meeting tomorrow.

“We want to tighten the SOP and look at what cooperation can be conducted with the police and local authorities because when licences or permits are granted, we want to ensure that the organisers thoroughly check (especially regarding drugs).

“So, from now on, we might need to conduct urine tests as part of the SOP for visitors, and this recommendation will be brought up at the exco meeting so that people who abuse drugs or are drug addicts are not allowed to enter any concerts (venues),” he was quoted as saying.

The move is in response to the death of four concertgoers at the Pinkfish Countdown concert, which was held on New Year’s Eve.

Police believe the deaths were caused by the illicit drug ecstasy, some of which were purchased in the venue and some were brought in from outside.

Approvals for concert permits in the state have been suspended pending the investigation of the deaths.

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